Horse-detacher.



PATENTED APR. 17, 1906.

F. J. HUMBBRT. HORSE DETAOHER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYB, 1905.

[NVE/VTOR W1 T/VESSES;

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FF CE.

HORSE-DETACHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. April 17, 1906..

Application filed uly 8, 1905. Serial No. 268,853.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. HUMBERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Max, in the county of McLean, State of North Dakota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Detachers and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to horse-detachers.

One object of the invention is to provide a horse-detacher forconnection with a plowbeam for the purpose of releasing the horse orhorses in the event the plow blade or point should meet with anobstruction.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of anexceedingly simple, inexpensive, durable, and efficient device forapplication to a plow for the purpose of automatically releasing thedraft when the plow strikes an obstruction, thereby preventing breakingof a plow or the harness of the draft.

l/Vith these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention applied to aplow. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of myinvention,illustrating the position of the parts in their locked position. Fig. 3is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the parts unlocked.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference character 1 designates a plow-beam having the usual handles 2and the standard 3 and the plow-point 4, all of which elements may be ofany suitable form and construction.

Secured to the outer end of the plow-beam l in any suitable manner is anarm 5, having a jaw 6 at its outer end, the jaw having a straight edge 7and an inclined face 8. This arm 5 and its jaw is designed to beinserted in the open end 9 of a casing 10, there being a lug 11 formedupon the inner upper face of the said casing and having its inner endinclined, as at 12, for a purpose presently eX- plained. The outer endof the casing 10 is closed, as at 13, and provided with means 14 for theengagement therewith of a swingle or double tree. (Not shown.)

Mounted within the casing 10 intermediate the ends thereof is apartition 15,-having a slot 16 arranged therein, there being a follower17 mounted for sliding movement within the casing 10 between the end 13thereof and the said partition 15. Pivotally secured centrally of thefollower 17, as at 18, is an arm 19, having a jaw 20 at its free end,the said jaw 20 having a straight face 21 and an inclined face 22. Thefollower 17 is designed to lie normally near the outer end 13 of thecasing, there being a helical or other spring 23 encircling the arm 19and contacting at one of its ends with the corresponding face of thefollower 17 and at its opposite end against the corresponding face ofthe partition 15, the said spring being designed to hold the follower 17and the arm in the normal position stated and as clearly illustrated inFig. 1.

When it is desired to couple the horses to the plow for drawing thelatter, the casing 10 is disposed in such a position as to permit theinsertion of the arm 5 in the open end there of. The arm 19 by reason ofthe helical spring 23 being normally in parallel position with respectto the inner walls of the casing, the inclined face 8 of the jaw 6 ofthe arm 5 engages the inclined face 22 of the jaw 20 of the arm 19,raising the latter and permitting the straight face or shoulder 7 of thejaw 6 to engage behind the straight face or shoulder 21 of the j aw 20,therebylocking the jaws and their respective arms together. The follower17 is still in its normal position when the jaws 6 and 20 areinterlocked with each other, and reference to Fig. 1 will disclose thatthe upper edge of the arm 19 lies normally slightly above the lower edge34 of the lug 11. Now in the event that the plow-point should come intoengagement with an obstruction of such proportions as to jolt the plowagainst the pulling action of the draft the jaw 6 of the arm 5 wouldexert such a pull upon the jaw 20 of the arm 19 as to cause the inclinedface 22 of the arm 19 to ride up on the inclined face 12 of the lug 34,and thereby disengage the jaws from each other, permitting the casing10, together with the draft appliances and draft, to move forwardly inadvance of the plow, the latter remaining in the position over theprojection, thereby preventing breaking of the plow or the harness ofthe draft. Of course as soon as the helical or other spring 33 isrelieved of tension caused by the forward movement of the arm 19 thesprings throw the follower automatically to its normal positionthat is,to the closed end 13 of the casing 10, in which position the jaw 19 isready for further interlocking engagement with the jaw 6 of the arm 5.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention is of anexceedingly simple and inexpensive nature and that with many othercharacteristics embodied in the formation of the various elementscomprised in my invention the most important feature resides in thedetachability of the interlocking jaws, such disengagement of the jawspositively preventing further pull upon the plow against an obstruction.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a plow including a beam, ofan arm secured to the beam and provided at itsouter end with a jaw, acasing having a lug at one end, a follower mounted for sliding movementwithin the casing, a partition within the casing intermediate the endthereof, said partition having a slot arranged centrally thereof, an armpivotally mounted at one of its ends to the said follower and providedwith a jaw at its end opposite to the end of its pivotal connection withthe follower, the jaws of said arms being adapted for locking engagementwith each other, a spring encircling the second-named jaw, and arrangedbetween the follower and said partition to hold the follower and secondarm in their normal position, said follower and said second arm beingarranged and associated with the first arm to permit of engagement ofthe jaw with the second arm and with the aforesaid lug to detach botharms from engagement with each other.

2. The combination with a plow including a beam, of an arm secured tothe beam, a casing having an arm therein for locking engagement with thefirst-named arm, and means for automatically releasing the said armsfrom engagement with each other.

3. The combination with a low including a beam, of an arm secured to t ebeam, a casing having a spring-actuated arm arranged therein for lockingengagement with the firstnamed arm, and means for automaticallydisengaging the arms.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

FRANK J. HUMBERT. Witnesses:

JOSEP ULRIoH, WILLIAM FREsA,

